1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector which is suitably applied to vehicles such as automobiles.
2. Description of the Related Art
A connector in a vehicle such as an automobile is so designed that it will not readily come off its housing even when shock during traveling.
For instance, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei. 4-92379, in order to prevent the terminal from coming off the terminal housing even when the wire is pulled, two preventing means are provided between the terminal and the connector housing; that is, the terminal is positively locked to the connector housing.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. Inside the connector housing 51, a terminal accommodating chamber 52 is provided which is surrounded by an inner wall 58, and a flexible locking piece 55 (hereinafter referred to as "a lance 55", when applicable) is protruded from the inner wall 58. The lance 55 is engaged with a terminal 53 inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 52, thereby to prevent the terminal 53 from coming off the terminal accommodating chamber 52. The terminal accommodating chamber 52 includes a deflection space 57 for allowing deflection of the lance 55.
In addition, the connector has a spacer 59 which is inserted into the deflection space 57 to prevent the unwanted deflection of the aforementioned lance 55.
That is, after the lance 55 is elastically deflected in association with the movement of the terminal 53 which is inserted into the terminal accommodating chamber 51, it is placed in steady state with the terminal completely inserted thereinto, thus being engaging with the terminal 53. Hence, the terminal 53 is set at a predetermined position, and the deflection space 57 is placed in open state. Hence, as shown in FIG. 4, a spacer 59 is inserted to close the deflection space 57. As a result, the spacer 59 prevents the deflection of the lance 55. That is, the terminal 53 is double-locked. Hence, even if the wire 54 is pulled, the terminal is prevented from being removed backwardly from the connector housing.
Before the terminal 53 abuts against the front end face 63 of the connector housing; that is, in the case where the terminal 53 is incompletely inserted thereinto, the lance 55 is elastically deflected, and therefore the spacer 59, striking against the lance 55, cannot be inserted in the deflection space 57. Therefore, the spacer 59 has a function of detecting whether or not the terminal has been completely inserted thereinto.
In the above-described connector, the terminal is double locked, so that the terminal 53 is completely prevented from coming off the terminal accommodating chamber. However, if, under the condition that the terminal 53 is incompletely inserted thereinto, and the lance 55 is elastically deflected, the operator forcibly pushes the spacer 59, then the lance is contracted (or buckled), so that the spacer can be pushed in the connector housing 51. Hence, the connector may be shipped out with the terminal 53 incompletely inserted thereinto.